3326. Nigel Sheldon, one of the founders of the Commonwealth, is visited by a representative of the Rayel, a race that has appointed itself as guardians of the Abyss, a mysterious formation at the core of the Galaxy that threatens the existence of all life. The Rayels convince Nigel to participate in a desperate attempt to break into the Abyss. Once inside, Nigel discovers that humans are not the only life form that has been drawn into the Abyss, where the laws of physics are somewhat different and mental abilities indistinguishable from magic are the order of the day. The people trapped there are fighting an alien species of biological imitators. Although the Padans are intelligent, they act as merciless killers. However, these aliens may hold the key to completely eliminating the threat of the Void - if only Nigel can discover their secret. As the Padans continue to mercilessly attack humans, vulnerable human society is split into different camps in a civil war. Nigel must discover the secrets of the Fallen people - before he is killed by the very people he came to save.